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by Becka Kolle | Nebraska Extension Master Gardener volunteer Did you know the terms wildflower and Native Plant are often used interchangeably? But there are a few slight differences. Wildflowers are generally flowering herbaceous plants that can be native to the area or introduced by people, while native plants are typically those found growing prior to European settlers. Many marketed wildflower seed mixes are not native wildflowers. Most contain non-native annuals that may offer little to no nutritional value to native pollinators. Stay tuned this week as we highlight some native options to consider for your backyard.

Join the Valentine Area Arts Council at the Valentine Public Library on Wednesday, July 8, at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Andrew Utecht will be performing The Three Little Pigs - A Fractured Fairytale.

Whether you are a seasoned professional, an aspiring creator, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of visual expression, the Sand Painters Art Club provides a thriving network of creators. Dedicated to fostering art through fellowship and a growth mindset, the club bridges communities across Nebraska and South Dakota, offering a supportive environment with absolutely no boundaries to membership.

HAYS, KS - June 16, 2026 - Fort Hays State University has named 1,996 students to the Deans Honor Roll for the spring 2026 semester including Parker Andrews of Nenzel, NE. The Deans Honor Roll includes undergraduate students only.

June 26, 2026 - The University of Wyoming lists the following student, from Valentine, to the 2026 spring semester Presidents Honor Roll which consists of regularly enrolled undergraduates who earned a 4.0, “A” grade-point average for the semester. To be eligible, students must have been enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours taken for letter grades - Hayes Hammond.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center has announced their Spring 2026 Deans List for students enrolled in nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and the allied health professions of medical imaging and therapeutic sciences program and medical laboratory science.

A warning to boaters operating impaired during the Fourth of July weekend: Nebraska conservation officers will be watching. Operation Dry Water, a national heightened awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and deaths, is July 3-5.

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Nebraska’s Trout in the Classroom program is accepting applications through August to join the program and earn a scholarship for the 2026-2027 school year. This program is for teachers interested in raising live fish in their classrooms and utilizing the tanks for countless lesson plans and everyday activities.

trackwrestling.com shared the following results for Saturday, June 27, 2026: Grade 2-6 Boys 56-61 - Charlie Stec's place is 2nd and has scored 13.5 team points. Round 1 - Phoenix Chavez (Gering) won by fall over Charlie Stec (Valentine) (Fall 2:29) Round 2 - Charlie Stec (Valentine) won by fall over Rickey Viter (South Loup) (Fall 0:29) Round 3 - Charlie Stec (Valentine) won by tech fall over Owen Gierhan (Amherst) (TF 15-0).